While most organizations (79%) rate employee engagement a high priority, only 41% have an employee engagement strategy in place according to new research by YouForce.
Conducted in March, the YouForce research found that, of the 41% which do have an employee engagement strategy, 30% indicated it improves employee performance and 13% said it improves employee retention.
According to the research, the two top drivers of employee engagement are corporate culture and recognition, followed by career progression and opportunities for learning and training.
When asked about specific concerns around employee engagement, respondents said there are still several stumbling blocks – not the least of which is senior management “buying in” to the process. The need for HR directors to build a business case regarding how employee engagement will improve productivity remains one of the key challenges.
Lee Grant, vice president, YouForce, said in a release that its employee research shows that employee engagement “is the current big challenge for HR professionals because it is linked in to so many areas of the HR function. While this is seen as the responsibility of HR, it is something that should be taken on by all employees. Creating the enabler for employee engagement is the hardest part of the process.”
According to The Benefits Research 2013, engagement has risen in importance this year, with 74% of respondents citing it as the top issue shaping their benefits packages. In 2009, 62% of respondents said the same.
Employers’ increasing recognition of the positive impact of a healthy workplace has pushed health and well-being higher on their agendas. In this research there was a greater awareness of stress and mental health issues. What’s more, only 75% of employers offer a pension to all employees.